


Remember

by 015wayward_winchester



Series: Dust In The Wind [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel & Sam Winchester Friendship, Castiel Loves Dean Winchester, Castiel Loves Humanity (Supernatural), M/M, Memory Loss, Protective Castiel (Supernatural), Protective Sam Winchester, Sam Winchester Ships Castiel/Dean Winchester, Suspicious Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:06:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28605687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/015wayward_winchester/pseuds/015wayward_winchester
Summary: Now that Sam is seeing through the cracks Cas can finally go to his best friend, but Dean has to stay in the dark.
Relationships: Castiel & Sam Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Series: Dust In The Wind [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094636
Kudos: 28





	1. Brothers

“Cas?” Sam asked “is that really you?” 

“Yes Sam I’m here” Cas replied before sitting next to Sam. 

Sam put his hand on Cas’s shoulder before pulling the angel into a hug.

After a while they pulled away.

“What happened? You erased our memories. How-“

“You were able to break through the barrier because you’ve had a wall in your mind before so it was cracked as soon as it was installed. This one lasted longer because I erased my name and vessel from your memories to give you less to scratch at. I didn’t account for Dean being able to recognize my name.”

“What do we tell Dean?” Sam asked

“He can’t know. He remembers my name and vessel, but that’s it. His wall is fully intact so he only remembers me as the son of a bitch who betrayed you both and started the apocalypse.” Cas looked like he wanted to cry at that last part.

“Cas-“

“No Sam it’s for the best. If Dean remembers me we’ll be back in the predicament I tried so hard to avoid.”

“You mean your deal?” Sam said with a hint of venom in his voice

“I’ve come to accept my deal. No it’s not that.”

“Then what is it? Dean would want his memories back.”

“If I take down Dean’s wall and allow him to remember me we will confess our feelings and the empty would take me. I accept my fate there, but what I can’t allow to happen is for Dean to try and rescue me or take revenge on the empty. I fear he would not survive. You tell me honestly that Dean would move on after my death and I’ll happily go to him” his voice broke

Sam sighed “you’re half right. Dean wouldn’t stop until you were safe even if that meant killing the empty, and he probably would die. But it wouldn’t just be Dean Cas. I’d be right there with him. You’re my best friend Castiel, and I wouldn’t be able to stand back and let you die.”

“Thank you Sam. Is this what it’s like to have a brother?”

“That’s exactly what it means to have a brother, and I’m going to get you out of this and that’s a promise. One day you will be my brother in law. Don’t worry I won’t tell Dean anything until you’re free.”

“Thank you Sam”

“It’s good to have you back Cas” Sam said hugging the angel again. 

Cas had missed this. He knew he could always rely on Sam. It felt good to have a brother.


	2. Suspicions

The next morning Sam was almost convinced the last night was a dream, but he remembered everything and no dream was strong enough to plant an entire lifetime’s worth of fake memories. Luckily Cas was able help him sort through some of the real and fake memories. He needed to be sure to only discuss the fake ones with Dean.

Sam walked into the kitchen realizing too late Dean was already up. 

“Morning Sammy”

“What are you doing up? It’s like 7 am”

“Woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep. I made breakfast.”

Sam sat down across from Dean and took the plate. 

“Find a case?” Sam asked. 

“I was thinking about looking into Castiel. You’ve been saying something is off for a year and last night I realized this isn’t just about Jack”

Shit. He needed to get Dean off this track as fast as possible or he and Cas would die. Sam couldn’t watch that happen. 

Cas looked on worriedly. Sam had to get Dean on a different track. The wall in Dean’s head couldn’t come down.

“Y’know man I really think it is all about Jack. I was upset at the kid leaving, but I tried to bury it and I tried convincing myself it was about something else.”

Sam admitting he was wrong? That wasn’t right so something was definitely going on, but he knew Sam wouldn’t fold so he’d just have to be sneaky.

“Whatever you say man. Look I’m gonna go relax in the Dean cave. For your own protection do not enter without knocking.” Dean said seriously 

Sam chuckled “thanks for the tip. I am rather fond of my eyesight”

Dean shuffled off to the Dean cave to do research. He’d turn on the TV so Sam would think Dean was doing certain acts and therefore his brother would not interrupt. Something was going on and he was going to get to the bottom of it.


	3. Moving On

After days of research Dean gave up. There wasn’t much lore on Castiel and he hadn’t had anymore dreams about him so he decided to give up. Maybe Sam was right and there really was nothing to chase. 

Sam searched everyday for something to let Cas out of his deal, but it was all in vain. Any deal made was ironclad and Jack himself could not step in. 

The Winchesters continued hunting. It was strange without Jack, but he popped in from time to time. They’d all cook and eat together in the bunker. The three of them were one small, dysfunctional, and extremely happy family. 

Only two of the three felt that anything was off. Sam and Jack couldn’t forget that there was a fourth member of their family. The two of them still saw Cas. He helped Jack in Heaven and he came to visit Sam almost every night, but family dinners just weren’t the same. 

Cas of course was always there for family nights, but he stood invisible. He watched on as his brother, his soulmate, and his son lived their lives. 

Dean and Sam grew old. Dean went first, he was older.

Cas came to help arrange the hunter’s funeral. After that Cas moved back into the bunker to help take care of his brother, and also because he knew after Sam’s death he wouldn’t be able to see him again. He couldn’t go to Heaven and see them lest he and Dean talk and send him to the empty. He would accept his fate, but he knew Dean would find a way to enter the empty, and get trapped there forever. 

A few years later Sam lay on his deathbed. Cas sat next to him. They were both crying. 

“I’m sorry Cas” 

“I know how hard you tried Sam. It’s ok. Thank you for being my brother” Cas cried. Even the angels hadn’t truly been his siblings. The only family he’d ever had was the Winchesters and Jack. 

“I need you- I need you to tell me it’s ok” Sam said softly 

Cas cried harder. Sam Winchester had been through so much, lost so much, and deserved rest. He well and truly deserved peace alongside Dean. Yet here he was asking permission. He needed Cas’s permission to move on.

“Of course Sam. It’s ok. You can rest now. Be at peace.”

Sam still held on. What was he waiting for?

“Tell Dean I love him” Cas whispered 

Sam smirked “I love you Cas. Goodbye my brother”

“Goodbye Sam”

He flatlined and Cas cried harder. Both his brother and soulmate were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue coming


End file.
